The Forfeit
by waddiwasiwitch
Summary: You win some. You lose some.  Sometimes you have a really good day.  SEQUEL TO STORY "The Challenge


You may or may not remember a little oneshot I once wrote called the Challenge. A couple of people have asked for a follow up. A special thank you to Snapegirlkmf, who gave me an idea that I sort of ran with.

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Harry Potter universe or characters but that doesn't stop me having fun with them on occasion.**

**The Forfeit**

Severus Snape had the distinct feeling that today was going to be a very good day. He was almost smiling all through his breakfast and as a result was getting suspicious glances from other students due to his buoyancy. He was about to collect a forfeit and he wasn't planning on being merciful. He had made a wager with his best friend, Lily Evans, where the loser would have to wear the colours of the other's house team during the first Quidditch match of the season. Their Houses were bitter enemies and he knew it would gather a lot of unwanted attention for the Gryffindor. _It served her right for being Slughorn's little pet. _He gulped down his eggs and toast and hurried to meet her.

Lily was waiting for him outside the Great Hall after breakfast with an expression that wouldn't be out of place at a funeral. True to her promise she was decked in the Gryffindor scarlet and gold. His Lily would never surrender without a fight. It was one of the things he liked about her.

"Good morning, Lily." He gave her a smug grin. "You're looking a little green around the gills."

She rolled her eyes and swatted him lightly on the arm. "You're very rude, you know."

He gave her his best innocent expression. It didn't work as usual and Lily just dissolved into one of her girlish fits of the giggles. He suspected ruefully he was genetically incapable of mastering such an expression. He pulled the green scarf from his robes and that literally wiped the smile from her face.

"You don't really expect me to carry out the forfeit, Sev?" She gave him a pleading look. This time it wasn't going to work. He was determined to watch her squirm.

He shook his head, pulling the green scarf from robes and handed it to her. "Oh my, Lily, and I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave."

She gave a dramatic sigh and took the scarf from him. "Oh, you're a comedian."

She put it on and then fluttered her eyelashes ironically. "Oh, Severus, does it suit me?"

It did of course. "You were born to be a Slytherin, Lily Evans," Severus said with a smirk.

They took off down towards the Quidditch pitch and there were a number of double takes at the state of Lily Evans. As smug as he was, he knew that sending Lily into the Gryffindor stand with the green scarf might be akin to starting a riot and she couldn't go into the Slytherin section either. The enmity between the Houses had hit an all time high. There had been a number of suspicious accidents to players on both teams and various pranks in both Houses. He had another suggestion instead. "We should sit together along with the Ravenclaws or the Hufflepuffs. They won't care."

She gave him grateful smile. "I think we should sit with the Ravenclaws. We could sit with Jimmy Talbot or Georgina Bailey." Jimmy and Georgina were older students and members of the Slug Club. Severus found them tolerable enough and agreed to her suggestion. It wasn't long before they found the aforementioned duo sitting together.

"Hi!" Georgina exclaimed. "What are you two doing here?"

"Sev dared me to wear a Slytherin scarf for the match and for my safety I figured might be best to sit elsewhere."

That drew their attention and both Severus and Lily found themselves regaling them with the story. The match wasn't long starting and the crowd were roaring from the off. James Potter flew past their section on his broom, spotted Lily and gave her a cheeky grin. That was before he spotted the green scarf around her neck. The grin was quickly replaced by a look of horror and he was so distracted that he never spotted the Bludger heading his way. It hit with a sickening crunch and knocked him off the broom sending him sprawling on the ground. The collision wasn't a serious one as he wasn't far from the ground. Potter recovered quickly though and got up looking only to be a little winded by the accident. Severus felt a little disappointed_._

He whispered in Lily's ear. "Maybe your spell hasn't worn off properly yet?"

"Nah, he's head was always that large."

They were laughing again. That was only the beginning of a wonderful hour of Quidditch - Slytherin trounced Gryffindor.

At the end of the match the two friends held back for the stampede of students to abate. Severus was elated after the win and Lily was glum. They were spotted by the trio of McGonagall, Slughorn and Dumbledore.

The old man's eyes were twinkling once he spotted the Slytherin scarf around Lily's neck. "I don't think I have ever had a student changing houses before, Miss Evans."

Lily's face turned as bright as her hair.

"Oh ho!" Slughorn was chuckling while McGonagall simply looked perplexed. Severus' lip was twitching upward at the awkward look on his best friend's face.

"We had a wager, Professors, Headmaster and _this_ is the forfeit." He gestured at the scarf.

The Headmaster chuckled while Lily grew progressively redder.

The Transfiguration Professor, for her part, looked scandalised at his words. "Headmaster, surely you can't condone gambling."

"With respect Professor, no money changed hands. In fact the only thing that has been lost is pride."

Lily stamped down hard on his foot. "You're enjoying this way too much," she hissed in his ear. The teachers were so animated in discussion about the pair of them that they never noticed.

Dumbledore was smiling. "My dear Minerva, weren't you the one who owes Horace a large quantity of crystallised pineapple and some elfmade wine?"

That shut the woman up and she walked off in a huff.

Slughorn looked at her wistfully. "Oh but I wish you were in my House."

Lily responded cheekily. "I don't think Slytherin could handle me."

Severus and Slughorn smiled at her impudence. The two professors continued on their way and the two teenagers decided to take a detour before heading back to the castle. As they walked around the lake, Severus couldn't help but tease his friend. "Did you have a good time?"

"Oh fabulous. There's no better way to spend my Saturday then watching Gryffindor getting thrashed."

"You have to admit watching Potter fall off his broom was entertaining," he pointed out.

She laughed softly. "I don't know why I put up with you?" Her tone was teasing as she turned around and went in the direction of Gryffindor tower.

"I don't know either," he mumbled.

The End.


End file.
